Operation Duckwater
by mamaXunicorn
Summary: Henry and Mr. Gold plot to bring Emma and Neal back together.


The little bell ringing in his shop caught Rumplestiltskin's attention and brought him from the back room to the front of the store, wondering who possibly could be in his shop.

Since the curse broke he hadn't really gotten many visitors, he suspected that was because they were all much more afraid of Rumplestiltskin than they ever were of Mr. Gold.

Belle had recently regained her memory but she was at the library all day and he had told her if she were to visit to use the back entrance.

He wasn't quite sure who he was expecting but as he walked out he spotted a very familiar brown haired boy, smiling as he approached.

"Hi Mr. Gold!" Henry greeted happily once he got to the front counter.

Rumplestiltskin couldn't help the little smile that tugged at the corner of his lips. He'd always had a soft spot for the boy never really knowing why except for that tiny little nudge at the back of his mind saying he reminded him of Baelfire. And ever since he found out that Henry was in fact his grandson, the son of his Baelfire, that soft spot only continued to grow.

"Well hello there, Henry. What brings you to the shop?"

"I came to ask for your help." Henry answered simply and Rumple raised his brow curiously.

"Oh? With what exactly?"

Henry adopted a half sheepish yet half smug look on his face as he bounced on his heels, out of excitement or anxiousness Rumple wasn't sure.

"I want your help to get my mom and Neal back together."

Rumplestiltskin stared in awe at the little boy. Of course Rumple himself was aware of the candles that his son and Miss Swan still held for each other and he always knew Henry was a perceptive (and somewhat sneaky) little boy yet he didn't quite expect anything of the sort.

Rumple cleared his throat and asked, just to see what Henry knew. "And what makes you think they want to get back together?"

Henry shot his grandfather a look that almost had him grinning with pride. "It's totally obvious they still love each other. They just don't want to say it."

A knowing smirk crossed Rumple's lips as he gazed down at the eleven year old. Henry caught the smirk and grinned right back. "You see it too, right?"

"My dear boy, I do believe _everyone _sees it."

Henry nodded quickly in agreement.

"The question is, why are you coming to _me?_" Rumple asked.

"Well," Henry sighed quietly, "I don't think Gramps or Grandma would want to help, I don't think they trust Neal very much. But you're his dad.." He shrugged. "And you're good at doing sneaky things."

Rumple chuckled to himself. Henry did have a point.

"So will you help me, please?" Henry asked, staring back at him with pleading brown eyes, the eyes and expression that reminded him so much of Baelfire. And back then he could never say no to his son when he looked at him like that and he was finding Henry was much the same. Despite the puppy dog eyes his grandson was giving him, Rumple knew he would have agreed to the request anyway. It was almost miserable watching those two dance around each other, sending the other secret smiles and longing looks, but anything he said to them about it would fall on deaf ears. And his son would definitely not appreciate him meddling in his life but if Henry was involved…

Rumple smiled down at Henry and nodded his head. "Of course I'll help you."

A grin spread across Henry's face. "Really?"

Rumple nodded. "Really."

"Yes!" Henry cheered happily and Rumple couldn't help the smile on his at the boy's excitement.

"So what do you want?" Henry asked and Rumple pressed his brow together.

"What do you mean?"

"Because you like to make deals. You're helping me so I have to help you too."

Rumple's eyes widened slightly. He had not even considered making a deal and if he accepted Henry's offer, Bae would certainly never forgive him for making a deal with his son.

He simply smiled softly and shook his head. "No deal is necessary my boy. My son's happiness is a good enough token for me."

"Oh." Henry seemed surprised by this answer but quickly got the smile back on his face. "Okay cool! So I guess that means Operation Duck-water is a go!"

Rumple furrowed his brow and blinked at him cluelessly. "Operation what?"

"Operation duck-water! I was going to call it Operation Swanfire because my mom's name is Swan and Neal's name is Baelfire but that's too obvious." Henry explained.

"So…duck-water?"

Henry nodded. "Because duck is another type of bird like a swan and water is the opposite of fire."

Rumple wasn't sure if he was more amused or impressed by Henry's naming choice but Henry was clearly pleased with himself for thinking of it. "You know what Henry? You are a very clever young man."

Henry grinned proudly and Rumple cast a small smile back at him. Henry then glanced at the clock on the wall and frowned. "I have to go, my mom is expecting me home. Can we meet tomorrow at Granny's?"

"And what will you tell your mother then?"

"The truth." Henry shrugged and Rumple raised his brow inquisitively Henry smiled at him and continued, "That I want to spend time with my grandpa."

"Ah." Rumple's face softened and he nodded. "Very well then, Henry." He reached his hand out over the counter towards the boy and Henry eagerly accepted it in a firm handshake. "I will meet you tomorrow."

"And Operation Duck-water can begin!"

* * *

Henry nearly skipped into the diner the next day with a wary Emma in toe. Despite Rumplestiltskin being on relatively good behavior recently, Emma wasn't sure if she trusted the man alone with her son even if he was his grandfather.

They met him at a booth and Henry slid into the opposite bench and they both looked up at her with eerily similar expressions.

"You can go, mom, I'm okay!" Henry told her and Rumple shot her a slightly reassuring smile.

"I assure you, Miss Swan, the boy is safe with me."

Emma pressed her lips together, eyeing the pair skeptically. It wasn't every day Henry expressed his want to get to know his paternal grandfather and she knew both of them too well to even think they weren't up to something.

"Alright…I'll be back in an hour to pick you up okay?" She looked to Henry and he nodded.

"Okay! Bye!"

Emma narrowed her eyes, Henry being a little too eager to get rid of her but she left anyway, keeping her eye on them until she got into the bug.

Henry waited until the yellow bug disappeared down the street before he heaved a sigh of relief and turned to his grandfather. "Okay, its safe now."

Rumple let out a small smile. "Have you come up with anything?"

Henry nodded. "We need to get them alone. Like a romantic dinner or something. You know with candles and stuff."

Rumple pressed his lips together. "They won't agree to having a dinner alone with each other."

"I know." Henry frowned with a sigh. "That's what I haven't thought of."

It only took Rumple a minute to realize that the key to their trap was sitting right in front of him. If it was one thing neither Emma nor Neal could resist it was their son.

"What if…" Rumple started and Henry looked up at him hopefully. "You invite them to dinner just the three of you."

Henry's eyes lit up. "Yes! And then we make everything romantic and only set the table for two!"

Rumple smiled and winked at him. "You got it."

"That's brilliant!" Henry cried and then shrunk down as some of the people sitting around them turned to look at him. He smiled sheepishly and continued in a low tone. "They've got to say yes to that!"

"Oh believe me, Henry." Rumple grinned knowingly. "They won't say no to you."

* * *

"Pleaaaaaassseeee?"

"Henry-" Emma sighed heavily as she turned to her son who was following her around the apartment.

"We never did it! I want to spend some time with just the two of you."

Emma scrunched up her face. "You can't spend time with us separately?

"No." Henry insisted with a frown. "It has to be together! Come on, please its only one dinner!"

Emma crossed her arms and stared down her son who was staring at her with those big brown puppy dog eyes she could never say no to. She groaned and threw her arms to her side. "Fine, if Neal agrees, I'll go."

Henry grinned happily and reached out to hug her. "Thank you!"

Emma smiled and hugged him back for a moment. Then she tapped his head and motioned to the kitchen. "Alright now go eat your breakfast."

* * *

After school that day, Henry ran immediately over to Granny's Inn and followed the very familiar path to his father's room. He knocked on the door and waited.

A few seconds later the door opened and Neal smiled in pleasant surprise to see his son. "Henry, hey buddy, what are you doing here?"

Henry happily bounced on his heels as he grinned up at his father. "I came to ask you to dinner tonight."

"Oh! Yeah sure, you want to go to Granny's?"

Henry shook his head. "It's going to be at Emma's place."

Neal cocked his head, furrowing his brow. "Emma's place?"

Henry nodded with a smile. "Dinner for me, you and Emma!"

Neal's eyes widened slightly. "Emma agreed to that?"

Henry nodded again. "She said she'd do it, if you'd do it!"

"She said that?" Neal asked softly and a small smile crossed his lips and he looked back at Henry. "Yeah, count me in."

"Great!" Henry grinned. "Be there at seven!" And with that Henry turned and walked down the hall leaving a slightly confused Neal standing in his doorway.

* * *

Snow and David had agreed to spend a couple hours out of the apartment for the Swan-Cassidy family dinner and Henry managed to convince Emma to stay out, saying he had gotten help from someone to cook the dinner for them, although he wouldn't tell her who. She had a pretty good idea of who it was though and she was very suspicious as to why Rumplestiltskin of all people was so eager to cook them dinner.

When Neal arrived outside the door of their apartment he spotted Emma also standing curiously outside the door to her own apartment.

"What's going on?" He asked with a small laugh.

Emma let out a sigh and shook her head. "I have no idea. All I know is that our son and your father are in there and they are not letting me in."

Neal's eyes widened. "My father? I thought this dinner was going to be just me, you and Henry."

Emma shrugged cluelessly. "Henry has been spending an awful lot of time with him the last few days."

Neal sucked in a breath. "Well that can't be good."

Emma nodded. "Yes, they're definitely up to something."

Only a moment later, both their eyes widened and they turned to each other. "Oh God."

"Do you think-?"

"They wouldn't.."

"Oh but they would."

Emma groaned and walked up to the door, knocking furiously. "Henry! Open the door now!"

Finally the door opened and a smiling Henry was on the other side. Behind them, Emma could see the apartment was dimly lit.

"Henry…" She gave her son a look and Henry only grinned, looking between his parents.

"Your table awaits." He said before grabbing both of their hands and pulling them into the apartment.

In the center of the apartment was a small table set up with two chairs, a beautiful white table cloth, candles and even a bouquet of roses in the center. Rumplestiltskin stood in the kitchen, a smug little smile on his face as he watched the couples faces.

Emma caught Rumplestiltskin's gaze and gaped at him for a moment before slowly looking over to Neal, meeting his gaze and quickly turning away, her cheeks shamefully tinting a slight pink. "Henry." She gritted her teeth together. "Honey, there are only two chairs at that table."

"I know." Henry answered simply with a grin and ran over to the table, pulling each chair out for them to beckon them over.

Emma sighed quietly, shooting her son an exasperated look. "Henry, you said this dinner was for all three of us."

"Change of plans." Henry shrugged.

Beside her, Neal stole a glance to Emma who was desperately trying to avoid his gaze and then he shrugged lightly and walked over to sit in one of the chairs, much to Henry's delight.

"What…?" Emma sighed as she watched Neal take a seat. "Neal!"

"What?" He shrugged, looking at her with a smile. "Come on, Emma they went through all this trouble."

Emma narrowed her eyes slightly. "You do realize what they are trying to do."

"Yeah…but it could be nothing but a dinner if that's what you want." He raised his brow, motioning to the chair across from him.

Emma stared at him for a long moment and eventually the stares from three generations of Cassidy men got her and she let out a groan as she marched over to the table and sat down.

Henry grinned happily and ran over to grab their plates from the kitchen counter and carefully brought them over to set them down in front of them.

"I don't know about you, but this looks amazing." Neal smiled as he motioned to the chicken dish.

Emma shot him a slightly annoyed look but turned a small smile to Henry. "It does look really good, thank you Henry."

"You're welcome! Mr. Gold helped too." Henry looked over his shoulder to his grandfather who was still silently standing in the kitchen.

Emma hummed quietly as she forced a small smile, wondering which one of the two's idea this was.

Finally moving from his spot Rumple, grabbed a bottle of wine and brought it over to the table. "A bottle of my finest wine."

Emma raised her brow and looked over to Neal who looked halfway between amused and uncomfortable.

Then, with a match, he lit the candles and gave the couple a small, knowing smile. "You two enjoy." He took a step away from the table and looked to his side. "Henry?"

Henry smiled and nodded up at him before waving at his parents. "Have fun!"

Neal and Emma watched as grandfather and grandson walked out of the apartment leaving the two alone.

Emma slowly turned to look back at Neal and when he caught her gaze, he let out a snort of laughter.

She narrowed her eyes. "Neal, I swear if you had anything to do with this.."

He raised his hands innocently. "I didn't, I promise! I had no idea they were planning this."

Emma shook her head slowly. "You seem awfully amused by this whole situation."

"Come on, its a little funny." He grinned at her.

"They set us up on a date!"

"Well yes," He nodded once, "but it doesn't have to be a date."

She shot him a look. "There are candles, dim lighting, wine and a fancy table. This is a date."

Neal shrugged. "Technically but we can just call it a dinner between exes…and friends in a ….very romantic setting."

Emma let out a heavy sigh and reached for the bottle of wine. "I'm going to need this."

* * *

"It's been almost two hours." Henry noted, glancing at his watch and then turning to his grandfather who sat beside him in Rumple's parked car on the other side of the street.

"That's a good sign, Henry." Rumplestiltskin told him. "It means they're talking…and doing a lot of it."

Henry smiled at him. "So this might actually work?"

Rumple gave him a small smile in return. "I think there is a good chance, yes."

Henry's grin brightened as he returned to look out the window, watching the entrance to the apartment building.

It was another ten to fifteen minutes before the door finally opened and Henry gasped, reaching over to tap Rumple on the leg. "Look!"

They both peered out the window, watching as Emma came out of the door first followed then by Neal. They were both smiling and laughing as they paused for a moment outside the apartment building, standing in front of each other.

Through the closed window and across the street, they couldn't make out what they were saying but it looked like Neal was asking her a question. Emma hesitated for a moment, lifting her shoulders and then she smiled, nodding once. Emma walked up beside Neal and Neal turned so they were facing the same direction. They smiled at each other again and started to walk down the sidewalk in the direction of Granny's Inn.

"She's walking him home!" Henry enthused, still keeping his eye on them.

They walked side by side with nearly any space between them and Emma even playfully shoved into him as they walked. He watched them until they disappeared around the corner and then turned to Rumple with a hopeful grin.

Rumple smiled back at him. "Congratulations, Henry. I do believe Operation Duck-water was a success."

"Yes!" Henry cheered, now grinning from ear to ear. "We make a great team, don't we Grandpa?"

Rumple reached out to brush his hand affectionately over the boy's head. "Indeed we do, Henry. Indeed we do."


End file.
